Rage.

“Not, another one! “ “Serious concussion to the head and lower extremities.
Massive bruising with serious swelling. Ice and monitoring! When are to have the pleasure of the police? “
Kevin was despatched with a fellow officer to investigate. “Almost certainly, the same individual.
We know it’s a female and carrying a cricket bat. “ “You, what ?!”

“Ceilia is out of the band. Concussion, massive bruising and broken arm. “ Jas stared at Bibi. “That’s got his stuffed for the Red Rose Trophy. Our girl out of it. We need to find a replacement or our money is lost.
Paid good money for us to enter.! Got any ideas? “ Bibi picked up his mobile made a phone call. “Sorted.“

“Craig!” He stared at Marcie. “We’re due at your parents for Christmas Day. You’re not packed. “
“Not going.” “Oh great, I go to all the trouble of being ready to meet them and you, you decide, you’re not going, thank you! “ She went to leave, stopped, looked back at him.

“Ever since the band competition where you lost. LOST to Predator, all you, want to do, is sit around moping. Feeling sorry for yourself, Tracy has done great work on that song, my vocals are excellent on the remix and all you can do is avoid the studio, never mind about us and the Red Rose Trophy which we’re dammed sure we can win.

You need the break! You get on well with your parents, they live out in the country and it’s only two hours drive which I’m more than willing to do. Your choice, sit here, give in, be lame or come with me. The invitation was for you AND me, you don’t want to go fine, but I’m still going.
I’m leaving at 6pm tonight. If you’re not packed and by the car, I’ll leave without you. Get your ass in gear with your GEAR packed.”

“Since when the hell, have you been interested.“ “Look Jas, you want to enter for the Red Rose Trophy, I want to sing, your band needs a good singer, what’s the problem? You’ve got your own home studio, give me a try, see what you think and we’ll take it from there.“ “Christmas Eve. “ “No problem, I wasn’t going anywhere anyways. “

The next day, Cathy appeared at Jas’s place. Taos, Bibi and Sung were pleased to see her. All of them knew her and knew she had a good strong voice. Cathy rested the cricket bat as she joined them.
“What’s with the cricket bat ?” “Jas looked at Bibi shook his head, Lord knows, ! Think it was her bros.

The session completed. “Alright ! You’re in ! Better be here Boxing Day (26th) tomorrow 2pm latest so we can get some more practice in. Not long now to New Years Eve, we need to get our clothing sorted. Make sure if it needs dry cleaning it’s done after Christmas in plenty of time for New Years Eve. “

Christmas Day gone. Over with for another year. Toren’s was relaxing with Kerry. On Skype with Swan and Serena. Aly was chilling out with a couple of other teens, supervised by the pool. No alcohol though they tried hard to get some, the rule was clear cut. NO! “She’s enjoying herself and the place, even if it’s like Fort Knox for security, is luxurious.“

For the next two days the studio’s were in use but by regulars only. No new bookings and a party in progress at Franks in Studio 4 ! Family, friends and the Karaoke facilities made for entertaining fun! A light buffet and drinks plus amateur’s putting on their own performances to entertain the guests.

Sarah had been there with Ronan, Bridget and others. Cerise had given her performance and had crowd appreciation of her vocals. “I have heard her sing that a few times before.“ To one side of Sarah was sat the envelope Toren’s had given her. She had glanced at it and now made her mind up. She passed the track disc with the basic music on it to Julia.

Julia was not a composer of her own work but she was a music graduate with composition skills. Computer based midi systems that she used to the benefit of other writers composers. Arrangements completed and all the necessary sheets of paper regarding the music notation, the score done ! Lyric sheets plus backing singers sheets and the discs cut with backing tracks.

“I want Cerise practicing that, for the next few days BEFORE the competition. I may well decide to swap the song we have for that one.“ Julia nodded, more than aware of what she was saying. Looked at the sheets in front of her. This would be complicated but not beyond her skills. The problem was time and how little it seemed, weighed against the task in hand.

Tash was in the bath, aided by Jenni and Gail who were her sisters. Not coping very well and finding it difficult to understand why she couldn’t talk. They were lying to her. Still not wanting her to know the true horror.

More mobile than she had been. Helped by the morphine to be more pro active? No! Jenni was using, she had gotten drugs from Corby. Pure Heroin. Kept her sister doped. Otherwise they couldn’t get on with the drinking and celebrating.

“Frederick’s had been talking to Corby, instructions? “I need you, to take her some more, of that pure stuff we got.“ Corby smiled. “Her sister is very obliging! Tell her, not to worry about paying for it just yet, this, it’s on account.”

As for Tash? “Poor lass, keep her supplied. Let me know how much it’s adding up to.”
Fredericks was more than aware of the money Tash had made from that No.1 Unknown to him, her sisters were spending it like it was going out of fashion though it WAS spent on FASHION!

“I need that D and G  bag ! “ Gail went into the store, bought it. On the pretext that it was for Tash?
She would use it until Tash was back on her feet. Oh and also that dress. For the club. New Years Eve.
Perfect fit, don’t worry about the price, Shoes? Of course I need new shoes! plus a coat.
Well it is cold at the moment.

Jenni was not the least bit worried about fashion or fashion sense. As long as she had her drugs, her weed to smoke she was perfectly content! Uhh, well almost. Rick to give her what she wanted when she wanted did kind of complete that equation to bliss. Rick too was stoned most of the time, he was also a gambler and Tash’s sister was providing him with some much desired, ready income. Frittered away, back for more.

Lawrence and the rest of them had paid four individuals a visit. Four more males beaten to a pulp?
They would not be enjoying the festive spirit! Eventually Lawrence returned home for Christmas Day to Tash.In her hands he had placed a red rose. A symbol of his undying love for her. She gripped it tight, went back to sleep.

Tash was recovering but slowly VERY slowly. It would take months and months to get back even a semblance of who she had been. He was of course, strange as it may seem but true; totally unaware of the drugs her sister kept feeding her. He left on the 26th, tears in his eyes and seething revenge in his heart. Seeking out two more males. Again the same retribution.

The bill kept adding up for the drugs. The money kept getting spent and?
“You might as well go collect ?” Emerald smiled. Two days to New Years Eve. It had been a good Christmas but she was bored.

A few places to visit, a few people to see to collect for Fredericks got her out of the house and into the fresh air. Grayson had been getting on her nerves. The scam had been it’s usual success, take the money vanish scenario played out and he was now loafing around the place.

“Do we still need that uck hanging around? “ Fredericks had agreed with her and sent Grayson packing.
“There babe, he’s gone.“ She had been more than grateful, one could say, remonstrative of her appreciation by shoving him down and showing him what being a jockey was all about, the winning post a blur as she ravaged his body. Wore him out was an understatement, He would be recovering as Emerald left him to join up with Brad; Cathy’s brother.

Brad, had not long been out of prison. Fredericks had offered him work and he was now accompanying Emerald to the first place on their list. Stepping into the house, sat around were several males. in their twenties. Smoking pot, drinking and eating. At least, so Brad counted; 10 of them. Two of them quite hefty blokes, to be joined by two thick heavy females.

An argument ensued over payment and who had had what and was paying, how much money they had, hunting in pockets to little, it seemed; success. Emerald was rapidly losing patience as she struck out hammering one of the males to the floor. A female attacked her and it might have been an attempt on her part to curry some favor with the male lying on the floor that met with a swipe to her jaw from Emerald, sending the female staggering back, slung hard against the wall, crumbling to the ground.

“Ucking pay up or else. “ From the hallway a figure of another hitherto unknown male appeared.
“Who the uck are you?” “I own this place.” Minutes later Howden as he was known, was more than aware of who the hell Emerald was.

Howden had the money, on their arrival at the house, he had taken money off those there, for the drugs. However he was in no mood to pay it to her anytime soon! If he had reckoned on being able to take on Emerald, some intimation on his part that he was a professional boxer and more than capable of giving her a good slap made little or no impression on her.

Grabbing the female who had made it obvious, she was Howden’s girl; she smashed her to the floor, put the heel of her stiletto against her throat. “MONEY or the bitch dies.” He paid up. Emerald handed the cash to Brad. Releasing the girl who was helped to her feet as he shoved her back and stepped towards Emerald, his fists raised, no mistaking the oncoming menacing stride.

Eyes on her, her hand had moved and in a flash, sidestepping his blows, his body to one side of hers, the glint of the blade before it tore into his neck, the point of it now visible on the opposite side as she held it there before twisting the blade and pulling it out, his blood like a fountain spraying out as she shoved his now lifeless body; back.

A male of some stature, heavy built went to lash out with his fists swung in her direction. The blows intercepted by Brad whose strength had the male reeling from his blows; the final one rendering the male unconscious with Brad kicking at him, his heavy set steel toe capped shoes against his ribs. He stood back, his eyes still on the male shifting to see the others in the room move away from them.

Emerald smiled, leanind down she wiped the blade on the males clothing, took hold of the girl and with the blade pressed against her throat, looked at them all. “You know nothing, you saw nothing.” Her eyes on the girl glaring at her before kissing her on the lips. A deep almost tongue in her mouth moment before stepping back shoving her towards the others. Minutes later they left.

It would remain imprinted on Brad’s single celled organism of a brain, NOT to piss Emerald off. The response on her part to the threat from Howden had been one hell of a shock. Raw violence and murder, make no mistake, he had been party to a murder.

When Emerald had looked at him perhaps it was to gage his reaction? Despite the ‘shock’ realization of what had transpired, he had remained somewhat icily cool. As for taking down her assailant?

Unknown to him, it had enamored him to Emerald. She needed someone at her side she could feel at one with. Psychopathic and psychotic were certainly traits, Brad was going to illustrate, on more than one occasion, with some relish on her part.

Now for Tash ! The bitch owed big money. With interest, a couple of grand at least !

(to be continued)